Clear view screen



Feb. 17,1970 E. H. ALLEN 3,495,366

, v CLEAR VIEW SCREEN Fiied Sept. 5, 19s.? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .sv dlwm If Mac/$01072;

. Feb. 17, 1970 E. H. ALLEN CLEAR VIEW SCREEN 2' Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 5, 1967 w// V4 S United States Patent US. Cl. 52171 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The disclosure relates to a clear view screen for attachment to a window panel comprising an outer frame, means for securing the frame in position relative to the window panel, bearing means rotatably supporting a transparent disc, and a transparent glass panel for supporting the bearing means from the outer frame.

This invention relates to clear view screens of the kind comprising a disc which is rotated at high speed so that moisture, for example, rain is spread by centrifugal force over its surface as a thin film and is then flung off so as to provide clear vision through the rotating disc. Such screens are used in a variety of applications for example, in ships, rail or road vehicles and some types of aircraft.

In one type of construction so far used it has been the practice to mount the disc on a bearing which is supported on an arm sufficiently strong to support the disc under the action of, for example, wind forces. This arm, along which is usually taken the drive for rotating the disc, forms part of the framework of the screen which is then mounted in a large aperture cut in the window panel in which the screen is fitted. With this arrangement the arm causes a considerable reduction in the area of the vision for a given size disc. In certain arrangement it has also been known to arrange for the support to be mounted outside an existing window so that a large aperture is not required, and in yet another arrangement a small hole is cut in the window panel and is used to support the driving motor so as to dispense with the need for a heavy support arm.

An arrangement intended to overcome the disadvantage of having to cut holes in the window and supply heavy support arms is set forth in the applicants United States Patent No. 3,347,004, issued Oct. 17, 1967.

According to the present invention a clear view screen for attachment to a window panel comprises an outer frame carrying a bearing which supports a rotatable disc, the frame being adapted to engage the surface of the window with which it is to be used and means for securing the frame in position, the bearing being supported in the frame by a support made from transparent material. This arrangement insures that the whole of the rotatable disc can be used for viewing and none of its area is lost due to the area of the known kind of nontransparent support structure.

Preferably the bearing support is in the form of a transparent panel surrounded by the frame and this panel can be made from glass, or any other suitable transparent material.

If required the hub may be adapted to engage the window panel when the frame is in position and the hub may be arranged to carry a thrust pad which can bear against the window panel.

With this arrangement the thrust pad before clamping may be arranged to extend through a plane taken across the engagement surface of the frame so that when the screen is clamped against the window panel the engagement surface of the pad is displaced.

The edge of the frame which engages the window panel may carry a resilient member which can seal the frame to the panel and this may also act to replace the thrust pad referred to above to support the frame against the window. The means for securing the frame in position are preferably releasable and/or adjustable so that the frame can be easily removed and re-attached.

Thus, the means for securing the frame in position may include a hinged support so that the frame may be swung away from the window panel to facilitate cleaning and maintenance, and the frame securing means may be adapted for connection to the frame of the window panel with which the screen is to be used.

In another arrangement the frame may be secured by a pair of support elements substantially rigid with the frame of the window panel and beneath which the screen frame is held by adjustable means such as screw members which can be adjusted in relation to the support elements.

Preferably the screen also includes means for rotating the disc, for example, an electric, hydraulic or pneumatic motor and this motor may be carried by the outer frame driving the disc through driving means extending from the frame to the hub or may be carried at the centre of the hub itself.

Preferably the driving means extends to the hub on the side of the disc adjacent the window panel and thus the disc may be displaced away from the edge of the fraine which is. adapted to engage the window panel to provide a cavity, means being included for circulating heated air in the cavity and according to one convenient arrangement the motor is electrically operated and is arranged to heat the air circulating in the cavity.

The invention also includes a clear view screen as set forth in combination with a window panel.

The invention may be performed in various ways but one embodiment will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which,

FIGURE 1 is a front view of a screen according to the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional side elevation of the line IIII of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary cross section of the line IIITII of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view of a pair of support elements, and illustrates the manner in which the support elements are secured between the screen and a frame, and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken '3 generally along line VV of FIGURE 4, and more clearly illustrates the details of one of the support elements.

In the arrangement to be described and as shown in the drawings a rotatable disc 1 is provided with a bearing member 2 at its centre, the bearing member 2 being mounted on a spindle which thus provides a bearing and which is carried on a hub 4. The hub 4 is provided by a flanged member 5 which is inserted in a hole 6 in the centre of a glass panel 7. The hub 4 is held in place by a screw 8 provided with a large head 9 which is screwed into a tapped bore 10 in the hub 4 from the other side so that the hub is held in position in the panel. The panel 7 is circular and its outer periphery is located in an outer frame 11. The glass is made thick enough to accurately and rigidly locate the hub 4. The outer frame 11 is in the form of an annular ring and is supported by a hinge or other support member 12 as shown in FIGURE 1 which can be mounted on the frame 13 of the window 14 with which the clear view screen is to be used. With this arrangement the frame 13 also carries a catch 15 for co-operation with a point on the diameter on the opposite side of the outer ring 11 from the hinge 12 so that the screen can be clamped against the window panel 14. In an alternative arrangement and as shown in FIG- URES 4 and 5 of the drawings the screen is supported by identical rigid fixings on both sides, and these comprise a pair of support elements arranged on opposite sides of the window frame. Each element is in the form of a square rod 16 which is adjustably held by a bracket 17 carried by the frame, the rods extending beyond the frame and parallel with the plane of the panel. These rods 16 are arranged so that they are at an angle in relation to a line passing through the axis of the rotatable disc between them and the inner end 18 of each rod is provided with a screw threaded bore '19 which carries a screw 20 which can engage an ear 21 provided on an appropriate portion of the outer frame 11 of the circular glass panel. The arrangement is such that during assembly the ears 21 can be positioned beneath the screws, which have stepped ends so that when tightened they engage bores in the ears and act to force the outer frame 11 tightly against the window panel 14. The adjustable rods 16 enable the outer frame to be positioned without difficulty.

To ensure that the screws 20 stay in their adjusted positions the ends of the rods are bifurcated at 22 to provide a tight screw thread in the 'bores.

The outer ring 111 is provided with a resilient sealing ring 23 on its edge which engages the window panel 14 and this bears against the outer surface of the panel when the frame is in, the clamped position. Irregularities in the surface of the window panel can be accommodated by the seal 23 and in versions which are required to be fitted to curved window panels the back face of the outer ring 11 may be shaped accordingly or the curvature could be accommodated by the sealing ring itself. If required a thrust pad 9a may be provided on the large head 9 of the bearing hub 4 which will bear against the window panel when the assembly is clamped in position so that the disc assembly becomes rigid therewith, as shown in FIGURE 2.

If required the thrust pad before clamping may be arranged to extend through a plane taken across the engagement surface of the frame so that when the screen is clamped against the window panel the engagement surface of the pad is displaced. In the arrangement including the support elements as described above this thrust pad may not be required if the glass panel is strong enough in itself to provide the necessary rigidity.

An electric motor 24 is carried on a hollow mounting 25 on the outer ring 11 and this motor carries a pulley 26 which operates a belt 27 which can drive a pulley 28 on the bearing member 2. The motor is covered by a Weather proof-housing 29 and the mounting 25 has a duct 30 which connects the cavity between the glass panel 7 and the disc 1 to the rear end of the motor housing 29. The motor housing 29 communicates with this cavity 30 directly through holes 32 Which lead into the hollow mounting 25 and the rotor 33 of the motor is shaped so that it continuously circulates the air from the cavity 3 1 through the motor. There is normally sufficient heat dissipated in the motor winding to maintain the circulating air at a temperature which will prevent condensation occuring in the cavity between the glass panel and the rotate disc. It will be appreciated that a similar arrange ment can be arranged if a pneumatic or hydraulic motor is utilised but in this case there will be no heat dissipated by the motor so that a small heater 25a (FIGURE 3) will be necessary, which can be arranged at a suitable position, for example, in the circulating duct 25.

In any case in applications where ice is likely to form it may be necessary to mount a heater within the cavity 31 itself.

The outer peripheral edge of the disc :1 carries a bezel 34 which acts to prevent the direct entry of moisture through the annular space between the disc 1 and the outer frame L11.

What we claim is:

1. A clear view screen for attachment to a window panel comprising an outer frame, means for securing the outer frame in position relative to a window panel, hearing means rotatably supporting a rotatable transparent disc, and transparent support means for supporting said bearing means from said outer frame.

2. The clear view screen as defined in claim 1 wherein said transparent support means is a transparent panel surrounded by said outer frame.

3. The clear view screen as defined in claim 1 wherein said transparent support means is a transparent glass panel surrounded by said outer frame.

4. The clear view screen as defined in claim 1 including hub means carried by said transparent support means, and said hub means being in nonrotatable contacting engagement with a surface of said window panel.

5. The clear view screen as definedin claim 1 including hub means carried by said transparent support means, said hub means includes yieldable pad means at an end portion thereof in bearing engagement against the window panel, said outer frame includes an edge for con tact with the window panel, and said hub means prior to the frame being secured in position projects beyond a plane taken through said frame edge whereby when the screen is secured in position a surface of the yieldable pad means is displaced.

6. The clear view screen as defined in claim l1 wherein said securing means are releasable whereby the outer frame can be readily attached to or removed from an associated Window panel.

7. The clear view screen as defined in claim 1 wherein said securing means include hinge means for swinging the outer frame away from the window panel.

8. The clear view screen as defined in claim 1 wherein said outer frame includes a surface for engaging the window panel, and said frame surface includes a resilient member for sealing the outer frame to the window panel.

9. The clear view screen as defined in claim 1 including a pair of support elements for substantially rigidly securing the outer frame to a frame of the window panel, and means for adjusting said support elements to selectively adjustably position the outer frame relative t the window panel frame.

10. A clear view screen for attachment to a window panel comprising an outer frame, means for securing the outer frame in position relative to the window panel, bearing means rotatably supporting ,a rotatable transparent disc, transparent support means for supporting said bearing means from said outer frame, said transparent support means being a transparent panel surrounded by said outer frame, aperture means in said transparent panel, and said bearing means including a shaft supported in the aperture means of said transparent panel.

11. The clear view screen as defined in claim 10 including means defining a liquid-tight seal between said outer frame and a window panel.

12. The clear view screen as defined in claim 10 wherein said outer frame and said rotatable disc define a cavity, means for driving said bearing means to rotate said transparent rotatable disc, said driving means including an electric motor, a housing for said motor, means for introducing air from said cavity into said housing, and means for introducing air from said housing to said cavity.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Nonnenbruch 52-171 De Normanville 52-171 Olson 52-171 Huff 52-171 Lansing 52-171 Allen 52-171 10 FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner P. C. FAW, JR, Assistant Examiner 

